Egbert babcock



(No Model.)

B. BABOOCK.

POLDINGTABLE.

No. 382937. Patented May 15 1888.

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EGBERT BABOOGK, OF LAURENS, NET/V YORK.

FOLDING TABLE.

J EiTPIEl(IRRIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No.382,937, datedMay 15, 1888.

7 Application filed December 9, 1887. Serial No. 257,443. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, EGBERT BABOOOK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Laurens, in the county ofOtsego and State of New York, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Folding Tables, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in folding tables; and itconsistsin the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafterdescribed, illustrated in the drawings, and pointed out in the appendedclaim.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the under side of a table constructedaccording to my invention and showing one pair of legs folded and theother pair extended. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig.3 is a detail. view of one of the cleats. Fig. 4 is a detail perspectiveview of the folding brace, to show more clearly the shoulders whichlimit the downward motion of the adjacent ends of the arms of the saidbrace.

Referring by letter to the drawings, A designates the table-top, to theunder side of which near the ends are secured the cleats B B, which arepovided on their inner sides near the ends with shoulders O O.

D D represent thelegs,which are pivoted at their upper ends totheshoulders G G by means of bolts or screws. 7 These legs are connectedtogether in pairs, (the two legs attached to each cleat constituting apair,) by the cross braces E E, which are attached to the outer sides ofthe said legs at their upper ends. The braces are beveled on their outersides to render the upper or bearing surfaces thereof broader than thelower edges. When the legs are extended or arranged in verticalpositions, the upper edges of the cross-braces bear against the lowersides of the'cleats, and thus prevent the legs from swinging beyond avertical position when they are subjected to an outward strain.

The object in pivoting the legs of the table to shoulders on the cleatsinstead of pivoting them to the ends of the cleats will now be clearlyseen. The cross-braces extend to the outer sides of the legs, and as thecleats ex tend beyond the. outer sides of the legs the entire upper edgeof each cross-brace finds a bearing-surface on the cleat. Further, thecleats will be readily appreciated.

G G represent the hinged andjointed braces,

which consist, respectively, of the arms gg,

which are jointed together at their adjacent ends, and the ears 9 g,which are hinged or jointed to the outer or free ends of the said arms.These ears are secured by screws or other similar means respectively tothe lower edge of the cross-brace between the legs and the under side ofthe table top between the cleats.

The adjacent and connected ends of the arms 9 g are provided with thebearing-shoulders H H, which are adapted to come in contact when thelegs are extended, and the braces are bent slightly beyond a straightline. The object in arranging the said shoulders so as to allow thebrace to bend beyond the straight line before they come in contact is toprevent a slight jar or blow upon the brace or the leg of the table fromdisturbing the brace and allowing it to fold. It will also be ob servedthat the braces fold outward-that is, toward the ends of the table.Therefore, when the legs are extended the weight of the centers of thefolding braces hold the shoulders H H in contact. If the joints of thebrace should through long use become loose the braces will not berendered unsafe, as their weight will still hold them in the operativeposition. Also, when the legs are extended the braces will assume theirproper positions without operating them individually. If, on the otherhand, the braces are so arranged as to fold inward or toward the centerof the table, the weight of the center of the brace will tend to causeit to fold. joints become loose by wear, this tendency to fold willrender the table unsafe, as a slight jar or blow upon the inner side ofone of the legs will allow the center of the brace to drop, and as aconsequence the table will fall. Thus the mere sagging of one of thebraces will re suit in the collapse of the table and the pro Therefore,when the 9 5 cipitation of itscontents upon the floor. This objectiontherefore is of great importance, it being of absolute necessity in atable to guard against even the possibility of an accident.

When the legs of the herein-described table are folded, thecorresponding legs at opposite ends of the table are adapted to bearside by side against the under side of the top.

K represents a button or catch, which is pivoted on the lower end ofthestandard L, which ,is attached to the tabletop, and is adapted to beturned under two adjacent folded legs to thus lock them in their foldedposition.

Many tables are constructed with their legs hinged directly to the top.This construction is objectionable-first, because all the strain of thelegs is brought upon two or three points, and the result is (especiallyif the top is constructed of a series of strips or boards) that the topis warped or drawn out of shape; and, second, the screws which securethe hinges to the top are liable to tear out under severe strain. Theseobjections are not applicable to a table constructed according to theabove description. In this case the strain is distributed by the cleats,and the latter must be pulled off bodily in order that the legs may bedetached.

The legs 9 g of the folding braces G-open upwardly and outwardly, sothat when the table is closed they fold away between the cross-braces Eand the top of the table and are both protected and out of sight. Thearms 9 are of equal length, as can be seen in Fig. 2; consequently theleverage from the pivotal point of each leg to the common joint is'equalfor both, and the jointcannot be bent by legs have been pivoted totransverse cleats against which a transverse bar, connecting the legs atsaid end, bears when the legs are extended. Iain further aware thatbuttons pivoted to the table have been used to keep the legs folded. Iam further aware that braces have been composed of two pieces hingedtogether at their meeting ends and at their other ends hinged,respectively, to the bar connecting the legs at each end and to theplatform of the table. I am further aware that transverse cleats havingshoulders at their ends against which the legs are pivoted are not newin the art. Such elements I do not claim, broadly.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim- The hereindescribed folding table, comprising the top A, thetransverse cleats B, having the shoulders O, the legs D, pivoted to saidshoulders, the cross-braces E, connecting the outer sides of said legsand resting against the corresponding cleats when the legs are penpendicular to the top, the buttons K, arranged to be turned outward andhold both pairs oflegs folded, and the hinged braces G, each havinglegsg g of equal length, one of which is pivoted in an ear, 9, securedto the table, and the other to a similar ear secured to thecorresponding brace, E, the said braces folding upward and outward andresting between the top of the table and the corresponding braces E, inorder to be protected and out of sight, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

EGBERI BA BCOGK.

